Collapsible hanging shoe rack

ABSTRACT

A collapsible hanging shoe rack may include a plurality of shoe retaining members with two parallel side arms integratedly connected with a horizontal arm, and a plurality of connecting units having a first end and a second end. In one embodiment, the shoe retaining members are arranged in a reverse U-shaped manner in the hanging shoe rack, and each of the shoe retaining members is connected with the connecting unit. More specifically, the shoe retaining member is disposed tiltedly and spacedly with other shoe retaining members in a parallel manner. When the shoe rack is hung on the door, it can be pulled down and fully extended by gravity without applying any external forces. When it is taken off from the door and put it on the ground, the shoe rack can be quickly collapsed due to the gravity as well.

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 (e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/247,649, filed on Oct. 28, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a hanging shoe rack, and in particular to a collapsible hanging shoe rack, the size of which can be easily and significantly minimized when not in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally known to attach various article holding devices, such as shoe racks, over a top edge of a household door to gain additional storage spaces. Door-mounted shoe racks are popular items since they represent a relatively simple way to create additional space in a closet or a room. Numerous shoe rack designs have been presented, however, many conventional racks have arms that project outwards but cannot be folded up, requiring the rack to take up a lot of space even when not in use or when in transport. In addition, the crossbars of non-folding racks can interfere with the storage of taller items such as boots. Thus, various foldable shoe racks have been developed.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,406 to Qiang discloses a modular folding shoe rack that includes first and second side rails; first and second arms pivotably connected with the side rails at a first end of the arms; a first crossbar connected with the opposite ends of the arms; and a second crossbar connected with the side rails as shown in FIG. 1. Each side rail may also include complementary male/female connectors at its opposite ends to allow for connection of one side rail to another, resulting in a modular design. Even though the shoe rack in the '406 patent is foldable, the folded shoe rack is still bulky and takes a substantial size of the space because the side rails 12 forming the structure of the shoe rack cannot be folded or changed to significantly reduce the size of the shoe rack, so the shoe rack is not easy to store or transport, even after it is folded.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,156 to Malik discloses a rack for storing objects on a door that has at least two uprights, at least two hanging brackets, a plurality of shelf supports, a plurality of shelves and at least two hanging links as shown in FIG. 2. The uprights are spaced apart a distance equal to a length of the shelves and spaced from the door by ends of the uprights angled toward the door. The shelves may be disposed at an angle relative to a vertical position of the uprights wherein a superior mounted pair of uprights has hanging links depending from a lower support end and the hanging links are engaged upon an upper support end of another pair of uprights. However, like the foldable shoe rack in the '406 patent to Qiang, the reconfigurable rack in the '156 patent still takes a lot of spaces to store or transport because the straight portion 25 forming the structure of the shoe rack cannot be folded or changed to significantly reduce the size of the shoe rack, even though the size of which is reconfigurable.

Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved collapsible shoe rack that is more convenient and efficient for the user to store or transport to overcome the problems presented above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible hanging shoe rack that can be stored and transported more conveniently and efficiently without putting any additional or unnecessary burden on the users.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible hanging shoe rack which can be pulled down and extended by gravity when in use without applying other external forces.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible hanging shoe rack, which can be quickly collapsed on the ground, and the size of which can be significantly reduced.

In one aspect, a collapsible hanging shoe rack may include a plurality of shoe retaining members having two parallel side arms integratedly connected with a horizontal arm, and a plurality of connecting units to pivotally connect to different portions of the shoe retaining members to form the collapsible hanging shoe rack. In one embodiment, the shoe retaining members are arranged in a reverse U-shaped manner in the hanging shoe rack, and each shoe retaining members is connected with two or more the connecting units on each side. More specifically, the shoe retaining member is disposed tiltedly and spacedly from another shoe retaining members in a parallel manner. The connecting units are also arranged in a parallel manner, so when the shoe rack is collapsed, the size of the shoe rack can be significantly reduced because the shoe retaining members can all be stacked up as well as all connecting units to occupy the smallest space.

In one embodiment, except the shoe retaining members at the top and bottom of the shoe rack, each connecting unit is configured to pivotally connect with three shoe retaining members. Taking three shoe retaining members as an example, (except the very top shoe retaining member), a first end of the connecting unit is pivotally connected with a bottom end of the side arm of a first shoe retaining member, a center portion of the connecting unit is pivotally connected with a center portion of the side arm of a second shoe retaining member, and a second end of the connecting unit is pivotally connected with a top portion of the side arm of a third shoe retaining member. It is noted that the connection of the connecting unit and the shoe retaining members to is identical on both sides of the shoe retaining members. Also, the shoe retaining members (except the top and bottom ones) are all connected with the connecting units in the same manner.

The top shoe retaining member is connected with the first shoe retaining member through a shorter connecting unit, wherein a first end of the shorter connecting unit is pivotally connected at a center portion of the side arm of the top shoe retaining member, and a second end of the shorter connecting unit is pivotally connected to a top portion of the side arm of the first shoe retaining member. Meanwhile, the top shoe retaining member, the first shoe retaining member, and the second shoe retaining member are connected through a connecting unit in the same manner to connect the first, second and third shoe retaining members as discussed above.

Like the top shoe retaining member, a bottom shoe retaining member has a similar connecting manner with the connecting units and other shoe retaining members. More specifically, the bottom shoe retaining member is connected with a bottom first shoe retaining member through a shorter connecting unit, wherein a first end of the shorter connecting unit is pivotally connected at a center portion of the side arm of the bottom shoe retaining member, and a second end of the shorter connecting unit is pivotally connected to a bottom portion of the side arm of the bottom first shoe retaining member. Meanwhile, the bottom shoe retaining member, the bottom first shoe retaining member, and the bottom second shoe retaining member are connected through a connecting unit in the same manner to connect the first, second and third shoe retaining members as discussed above.

It is noted that a vertical connecting member is disposed between two shoe retaining members to further strengthen the structure of the hanging shoe rack when it is fully extended. The vertical connecting member may include a first portion and a second portion, which are pivotally connected together at nearly a center portion of the vertical connecting member. When the shoe rack is collapsed, the vertical connecting member would be deformed to bend inwardly.

It is important to note that the entire shoe rack structure is resilient, more or less like a spring. When the shoe rack is hung on the door, it can be pulled down and fully extended by gravity without applying any external forces. And if the user would like to further secure the shoe rack on the door, the user can use the bottom retaining unit to further strengthen the structure of the shoe rack. On the other hand, when it is taken off from the door and put on the ground, the entire shoe rack is very much like a spring, and can be quickly collapsed due to the gravity as well.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prior art disclosing a modular folding shoe rack.

FIG. 2 is a prior art disclosing a rack for storing objects on a door.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the collapsible hanging shoe rack in the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the top portion of the collapsible hanging shoe rack in the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic view of the bottom portion of the collapsible hanging shoe rack in the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of the collapsible hanging shoe rack in the present invention when it is taken off from the door.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of the collapsible hanging shoe rack in the present invention when it is partially collapsed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic view of the collapsible hanging shoe rack in the present invention when it is totally collapsed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.

All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and the includes reference to the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the terms “comprise or comprising”, “include or including”, “have or having”, “contain or containing” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of in includes in and on unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the embodiments. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present.

In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawings are illustrated as following:

In one aspect, referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, a collapsible hanging shoe rack 100 may include a plurality of shoe retaining members 110 having two parallel side arms 111 integratedly connected with a horizontal arm 112, and a plurality of connecting units 120 to pivotally connect to different portions of the the shoe retaining members 110 to form the collapsible hanging shoe rack 100. In one embodiment, the shoe retaining members 110 are arranged in a reverse U-shaped manner in the hanging shoe rack 100, and each shoe retaining members 110 is connected with two or more the connecting units 120 on each side. More specifically, the shoe retaining member 110 is disposed tiltedly and spacedly from another shoe retaining members 110 in a parallel manner. The connecting units 120 are also arranged in a parallel manner, so when the shoe rack 100 is collapsed, the size of the shoe rack 100 can be significantly reduced as shown in FIG. 8 because the shoe retaining members 110 can all be stacked up as well as all connecting units 120 to occupy the smallest space.

In one embodiment, except the shoe retaining members 110 at the top and bottom of the shoe rack, each connecting unit 120 is configured to pivotally connect with three shoe retaining members 110. Taking three shoe retaining members 110 as an example, as shown in FIG. 4 (except the very top shoe retaining member), a first end 121 of the connecting unit 120 is pivotally connected with a bottom end of the side arm 111 of a first shoe retaining member 1101, a center portion 122 of the connecting unit 120 is pivotally connected with a center portion of the side arm 111 of a second shoe retaining member 1102, and a second end 123 of the connecting unit 120 is pivotally connected with a top portion of the side arm 111 of a third shoe retaining member 1103. It is noted that the connection of the connecting unit 120 and the shoe retaining members 1101 to 1103 is identical on both sides of the shoe retaining members. Also, the shoe retaining members 110 (except the top and bottom ones) are all connected with the connecting units 120 in the same manner as discussed above.

Still referring to FIG. 4, the top shoe retaining member 1100 is connected with the first shoe retaining member 1101 through a shorter connecting unit 1201, wherein a first end 1211 of the connecting unit 1201 is pivotally connected at a center portion of the side arm 111 of the top shoe retaining member 1100, and a second end 1221 of the connecting unit 1201 is pivotally connected to a top portion of the side arm 111 of the first shoe retaining member 1101. Meanwhile, the top shoe retaining member 1100, the first shoe retaining member 1101, and the second shoe retaining member 1102 are connected through a connecting unit 120 in the same manner to connect the first, second and third shoe retaining members (1101, 1102, 1103) as discussed above.

Like the top shoe retaining member 1100, a bottom shoe retaining member 1100′ has a similar connecting manner with the connecting units and other shoe retaining members. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the bottom shoe retaining member 1100′ is connected with a bottom first shoe retaining member 1104 through a shorter connecting unit 1201′, wherein a first end 1211′ of the connecting unit 1201′ is pivotally connected at a center portion of the side arm 111 of the bottom shoe retaining member 1100′, and a second end 1221′ of the connecting unit 1201′ is pivotally connected to a bottom portion of the side arm 111 of the bottom first shoe retaining member 1104. Meanwhile, the bottom shoe retaining member 1100′, the bottom first shoe retaining member 1104, and the bottom second shoe retaining member 1105 are connected through a connecting unit 120 in the same manner to connect the first, second and third shoe retaining members (1101, 1102, 1103) as discussed above.

It is noted that a vertical connecting member 124 is disposed between two shoe retaining members as shown in FIG. 4 to further strengthen the structure of the hanging shoe rack 100 when it is fully extended. The vertical connecting member 124 may include a first portion 1241 and a second portion 1242, which are pivotally connected together at nearly a center portion of the vertical connecting member 124. When the shoe rack 100 is collapsed, the vertical connecting member 124 would be deformed to bend inwardly a shown in FIG. 8.

The shoe retaining member 110 further includes a plurality of cross bars 113 and 114 parallel to the horizontal arm 112, which are used to support the shoes disposed thereon. The shoe rack 100 also includes a plurality of hanging units 130, one end of which is to engage with the shoe rack 100, and the other end is to engage with a top portion of the door to hang the shoe rack 100 over the door. As shown in FIG. 5, the shoe rack 100 may further include a bottom retaining unit 140, one end of which is to engage with shoe rack 100, and the other is to be secured at the bottom of the door to strengthen the structure of the shoe rack 100 when in use.

It is important to note that the entire shoe rack structure is resilient, more or less like a spring as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. When the shoe rack 100 is hung on the door, it can be pulled down and fully extended by gravity without applying any external forces. And if the user would like to further secure the shoe rack 100 on the door, the user can use the bottom retaining unit 140 to further strengthen the structure of the shoe rack 100 as discussed above. On the other hand, when it is taken off from the door and put on the ground, the entire shoe rack 100 is very much like a spring, and can be quickly collapsed due to the gravity as well.

More specifically, the shoe rack 100 in the present invention has a symmetric structure and basically includes a plurality of parallel shoe retaining units 110 (including the top and bottom ones 1100 and 1100′) pivotally connected with a plurality of parallel connecting units 120 (including 1201 and 1201′), which relies on the gravity to fully extend the shoe rack 100 when it is hung on the door. So when the shoe rack 100 is just removed from the door and put on the ground, the user has to lift it or the shoe rack 100 can be totally collapsed as shown from FIG. 6 to FIG. 8. Namely, when the shoe rack 100 is not in use, it can be totally collapsed as shown in FIG. 8 and becomes very easy to store and transport because the size thereof is significantly reduced.

On the other hand, if the user wants to use the shoe rack 100 again, it can be easily restored from totally collapsed (FIG. 8) to substantially extended (FIG. 3) when the user hangs the shoe rack 100 back to the door.

Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A collapsible hanging shoe rack comprising: a plurality of shoe retaining members having two parallel side arms integratedly connected with a horizontal arm; and a plurality of connecting units arranged in a parallel manner to pivotally connect to different portions of the on the side arms of the shoe retaining members, wherein each shoe retaining member is reverse U-shaped, disposed tiltedly and spacedly from another shoe retaining members in a parallel manner, and connected with two or more the connecting units on each side, so when the shoe rack is collapsed, the size of the shoe rack is significantly reduced since the shoe retaining members are all stacked up as well as all connecting units to occupy the smallest space.
 2. The collapsible hanging shoe rack of claim 1, wherein the shoe retaining member includes a plurality of cross bars parallel to the horizontal arm to support the shoes disposed thereon.
 3. The collapsible hanging shoe rack of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of hanging units, one end of which is to engage with the shoe rack, and the other end is to engage with a top portion of the door to hang the shoe rack over the door.
 4. The collapsible hanging shoe rack of claim 1, further comprising a bottom retaining unit, one end of which is to engage with shoe rack, and the other is to be secured at the bottom of the door to strengthen the structure of the shoe rack when in use.
 5. The collapsible hanging shoe rack of claim 1, further comprising a vertical connecting member disposed between two shoe retaining members to further strengthen the structure of the hanging shoe rack when it is fully extended. 